


Dented Shield

by StrongheartMaid



Series: The Damaged Shields of Lucis [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy XV Brotherhood, Final Fantasy XV Kingsglaive
Genre: Gladiolus Amicitia Whump, Other, kink meme fill, the Astrals suck - but we knew this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 07:45:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11054472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrongheartMaid/pseuds/StrongheartMaid
Summary: Noctis and Gladio had planned on playing soccer and having ice cream - only things go horribly wrong and Gladio finds himself branded for his failure to protect his prince (even if that's not what truly happened)





	1. Ignis

Ignis knew that late at night when sleep was his most bitter enemy and not his most treasured companion, when his mind was a whirl of thoughts and worries, and he found himself unable, unwilling to sleep, that he would find himself hearing the heart-wrenching screams coming from behind him, hearing the heart-wrenching sobs in front of him that were accompanied by the feeling of his shirt getting wet, smelling the unpleasant scent of flesh burning (and it would be a long time before he'd be able to handle the smell of barbecue meat again, let alone be able to cook it without his subconscious mind whirling back to this day - this would be a smell that would haunt him for the rest of his life, for the rest of their lives) as a brand was being affixed to his friend's bare chest - a brand marking his failure to protect the young prince (it wasn't fair, he could hear being screamed in his memory). He kept his hands tight on Noctis's ears, trying to keep the young prince from hearing the screams of his Shield, his friend. "Shh," he softly crooned, "shh.."   
  


* * *

  
_To think, the day had started out so pleasant enough - a rare summer day that was comfortable and not one that made everyone feel like they were melting into pavement. One that had their young prince begging Gladio just to let them skip training today just to do something fun for a change - and surprisingly enough, Gladio had given into the youth. (Although, Ignis was of the personal theory that he was going to work a training session into it somehow - it was just how Gladio was - but he wisely said nothing to upset the young prince.)_


	2. Clarus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarus feels guilt for what is happening to his son and the events that lead to his son's branding begin to unfurl

Clarus could feel his own brand burning (could hear his own screams in the depths of his memory) as he watched the mark being affixed to his only son's chest, his left hand clenching tightly into a fist. He couldn't, wouldn't show anyone how much this hurt - how much it wanted him to grab his children, grab the prince and his advisor, and make their way out of the kingdom, head to some place where no-one would ever find them, and oh, Etro, why.. He would never forgive himself for allowing this to take place - for his son to be branded with a heavy reminder of the price of failure. There was that bottle in his personal study.. It may not offer forgiveness - but it at least would dull the pain, the burn of the memory of this day and the day it had been him in his son's place. A small part of his traitorous heart cursed the Astrals for this - after all, it had been them who branded the first Amicitia for their failure to prevent the Healer King from falling the way he did, had made it known that this was to be the punishment of all who failed the Royal family. He glanced over at Regis, silently wondering how his friend was holding up, if he remembered when it had been them in the same situation..  
  


* * *

  
_"Gladio?" Noctis asked as he looked up at his Shield. "Can we.." he started, already feeling unsure about asking his Shield for this but.. He did get that new soccer ball and well.._   
  
_Gladio slanted his amber gaze at his prince. "Can we..?" he prompted, wanting to figure out what the spoiled brat, no, the prince wanted. It had been months since he had found Iris so he shouldn't really be thinking that way but there were days the memory of what he used to call the prince would surface and he'd have to beat his traitorous mind down to keep it from being expressed._   
  
_Noctis worried his lower lip a moment before pulling something out of the astral space (where he would later hide his weapons and possibly a fishing pole or four). He swallowed harshly a moment and held up the soccer ball. "Please? Father promised but.. He's been so busy that.. I.."_   
  
_Gladio ruffled his prince's hair, ignoring the squawk of protest it earned. "Sure, Noctis," he said._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to hurt, just so you know. No-one's walking away from this unscathed.


	3. Regis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regis regrets everything and disaster for his son and his Shield is just around the corner..

Regis stood there, watching the scene unfold before him, face impassive on the outside, all the while breaking, screaming his defiance towards the Astrals on the inside. He hated this, he never wanted to harm his son's Shield, his son's friend but what he wanted was not what the Astrals wanted, what the Astrals demanded. It wasn't the first time he wanted to curse the Hexathon - no, the first time was when they claimed the life of his wife, the second was when they revealed that when the time came they would be claiming his only son's life as the Chosen King of the Dawn. He allowed his eyes to drift away from the scene before him to see where his son was - good, Ignis was keeping it from his view, from his hearing - perhaps, this would keep Noctis from waking up in the middle of the night, screaming from a nightmare (he knew he'd be bolting awake tonight, fighting his way free from such a nightmare). He would count himself very lucky if he didn't wake up at all tonight from his own nightmare - no doubt he would be recalling when it had been Clarus that had been branded in such a fashion (it wasn't Clarus's fault he had to start wearing that knee brace sooner than expected!) - he remembered not speaking to his father for months after that happened (almost threatened to run and never return, never look back - and now a part of him was regretting that he never did, it would have spared his son so much pain).  
  


* * *

  
_Noctis smiled up at his Shield, thrilled that they were going to be playing soccer. He hadn't been able to play it for a while (mainly due to a horrible cold that lasted way too long in his opinion) and he was eager to play again. He sent a silent prayer up to one of the Astrals, hoping they'd allow his body to not go against him and protest this. "Can we get ice cream later?" he asked, slipping a small hand into Gladio's larger hand as the pair walked to the park. The soccer ball was held close to him with his other arm._   
  
_Gladio gained a playful thoughtful look. "I don't know," he drawled, purposely drawing his words out. "Might spoil your appetite and I know Iggy's cooking something good for you."_   
  
_Noctis wrinkled his nose slightly. "Bet it'll have vegetables," he huffed in a petulant tone._   
  
_Gladio allowed a booming laugh to escape him. "A growing boy like you needs those vegetables," he said before stopping midstride. He turned and knelt down before Noctis, placing his hands on his shoulders. "I know you don't like them, Noctis, but the healers say the stuff in the vegetables will help your body further heal, get strong again."_   
  
_Noctis let out a puffed sigh but nodded. "All right. I'll eat them, but I won't like them."_   
  
_Gladio let out another laugh and ruffled his prince's hair again. "All right, kiddo," he said, standing and taking his prince's hand again. Strange, why was he getting that feeling of unease.. He allowed his amber eyes to sweep the area, not seeing anything truly out of the ordinary, which only served to make him more uneasy._   
  
_"Gladio? Something wrong?" Noctis asked, tugging Gladio's hand to get his attention._   
  
_"Just getting a bad feeling, Noct," he admitted. "Stay close, all right?"_   
  
_Noctis nodded, his grip tightening on Gladio's hand. His blue eyes spotted a car that looked like it didn't belong - the color and make was wrong for a car that was made in their kingdom. An outsider maybe? He tugged Gladio's hand and gestured towards the car._   
  
_Gladio's eyes darted over to where his prince had spied the car. "Shit," he breathed, ignoring the small gasp from his prince at the profanity. Right, he was never supposed to curse in front of the prince - he could hear the cultured tones of Ignis lecturing him on why he shouldn't, mainly because the prince was a little verbal sponge, soaking up and learning words he shouldn't know (case in point where he learned how to say several anatomical impossibilities in Ignis's native tongue and Gladio to this day wasn't even sure what triggered Ignis to say them in the first place, although, he did enjoy seeing that scandalized look on Iggy's face when he heard the prince repeat them). "When I tell you to, get ready to run. Don't stop until you get to the safe house," he ordered, slipping into Shield mode._   
  
_"But," Noctis protested._   
  
_"No buts, Noctis," Gladio bit out._   
  
_Noctis frowned a moment but nodded. He squeezed Gladio's hand tightly, seeking a moment of reassurance before he let the hand drop._   
  
_And all it would take was one split second for everything to change.._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now the pain really begins..


	4. Cor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The deed is done - the Prince's Shield is branded and no-one's happy

Cor hissed quietly as he pulled the branding iron away, a moment of weakness, a silent apology flashing in his eyes as he stared at the brand that affixed the chest of the son of his friend, his mentor. He gave a small gesture to one of the healer mages in the Glaive to come over and tend to a brand in need of healing so the Shield could function as he silently approached Regis and offered him the branding iron. There was a small tightening of his mouth, his lips forming a thin line as he stared into the weary eyes of his king. This would never get easy - and he cursed the Astrals for their cruelty.  
  
The healer mage approached Gladio, a soft yet sad smile crossing her lips as she studied the brand and tried to figure out how best to heal it, to end the pain she knew he was feeling, to keep him from losing his sanity because of how much it hurt. "Shh, young one," she crooned, placing her hand over the crowned skull mark on his chest. She closed her eyes and allowed the gentle glow of healing magic surround her hand and flow into the burn, healing it just enough so the mark remained but the pain lessened. She let out a soft sigh. "There, feel any better?" she asked.  
  
Tears sparked in the corner of Gladio's eyes but they wouldn't fall - a Shield was too proud to cry in front of others, a rule battered into each Amicitia since the beginning of the bloodline, not since Chrysanthus was branded by Bahamut for allowing the Healer King to fall so spectacularly (not that Chrysanthus or the Healer King had ever predicted the Healer King would fall due to his pulling the Starscourge into him, saving countless lives but damning his own). "Little," he said, a strange note to his voice - not quite broken, not quite a sob but something laden with pain, his eyes glancing down to see the crowned skull on his chest. He raised a hand to gingerly touch it, a soft hiss of pain escaping him. His amber eyes sought out his prince and he saw he was being held protectively by Ignis. His gaze softened a moment and he made his way over, stopping before his prince. "Noct..."  


* * *

  
_A soccer ball rolled down the street, forgotten until it hit the bumper of a car, setting off the car alarm, instantly drawing attention to it. One Crowe Altius (although currently in disguise as Cynthia Argentum - at least Drautos was allowing her to keep her initials the same - and she had to admit, the kid she was watching over for Cor was a precious little ball of sunshine) stepped outside, wondering why her car alarm was going off. Her dark gaze drifted up the ways where she saw the Shield kneeling by his prince, a look of undisguised panic on his face. "Shit," she swore as she raced down, flicking on her earpiece to get into contact with the rest of the Glaives. "Pelna, send an ambulance to my location. The Star is winking out, repeat, Little Star is winking out."_  
  
_"On it, Crowe," Pelna's voice crackled over the earpiece. "Nyx and Libertus are on their way to act as back-up."_  
  
_"Copy that," she answered before jostling Gladio out of his place next to the prince. "Fill me in, Shield. Spare no details." Her dark eyes took in the smattering of crystals in Little Star's hair. Looks like that huge rock wasn't about to let go of her Chosen so soon._  
  
_Gladio just stared in disbelief, trying to figure out why Noctis took the blow when it was supposed to have been *him*. He had been prepared to lay down his life for the little prince - not the other way around._  
  
_"Mama Crowe?" a tiny voice asked, drawing Crowe's attention away from the shattering Shield to the Little Star._  
  
_"Hey, Little Star," she said, stroking the soft black hair, a gentle smile crossing her features. "Mama Crowe's here and she's going to make you all better." She placed a gentle kiss on the prince's forehead and began to tap into the magic that slept within her, channeling it into her hands so she could begin to help the Crystal pull Little Star back together. The sounds of something shattering and reforming broke the silence. "Ostrium, Ulric, see if you can find the bastard that hurt our Little Star."_  
  
_Nyx nodded, a sharp wolfish smile crossing his lips._  
  
_Libertus bent down and fluffed the prince's hair. "Trouble never ceases to find you, doesn't it, Little Star?"_  
  
_Noctis gave his best pout - even if it was pain filled._  
  
_Nyx tugged one of Libertus's braids. "C'mon, you giant teddy bear, let's go."_  
  
_"I wish you wouldn't call me that," he muttered, shooting a dirty look at Nyx and ignoring the tiny laugh coming from the wounded prince._  
  
_"I'll come with you," Gladio said finally._  
  
_"Your duty is protecting the prince," Nyx said. "He needs you more than he needs us." He gripped one of his kukris tossed it - warping into the distance where he saw a figure that had been nervously watching the scene play out._  
  
_The assassin whimpered - the plan had gone all levels of sideways and he knew he upset Ardyn by accidently hitting the Prince, and he just knew what happened to the people who upset Ardyn. They ended up as daemon or worse. He swallowed harshly and tried to run, only to get body slammed by the heavier of the two Glaives that had gone after him._  
  
_~_  
  
_Regis said nothing as he saw his son sitting in the wheelchair, one leg and one arm in a cast. He took a cleansing breath, not wanting to lash out and upset his son. He gestured wordlessly, his eyes flashing dangerously at Gladio._  
  
_Clarus said nothing as he stood by his king's side, trying to hide the disappointment on his face - but, well, he couldn't be too disappointed, after all, he recalled when Regis pulled a similar stunt when they were younger._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just when you think it can't get any worse..


	5. Noctis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis can't understand why Gladio's being punished for something he didn't do..

Noctis looked up at his Shield, his brother, his friend, hot tears streaming down his pallid cheeks. “Gladdy,” he whimpered, pulling free from Ignis and embracing Gladio tightly around his waist. “‘snot fair, 'snot,” he blubbered. “I saved you so why were you punished?” He just sobbed against his Shield, his fragile heart breaking just a little more at the unfairness of things. Why were people he loved always getting hurt or worse because of him?  
  
Gladio said nothing, just hugged his little prince tightly, rubbing his hand gently against the scarred back, trying to comfort him. “Shh, little prince, shh…” He wordlessly gazed at the king and his father, a look of something passing through his amber eyes before he turned his attention back towards Noctis and Ignis. “Ignis, I promised him ice cream, come with?”  
  
Ignis glanced down at the tear-stained and entirely hopeful face of his prince and then up at the face of his friend, his colleague, trying to see how much pain he was hiding. A flicker of something passed across his features before he nodded his quiet agreement. “Of course,” he said. “Shall we?” He quietly slid his hand into Noctis’s and walked quietly with the prince and the Shield, leaving the King and his Shield behind.  
  
Regis leaned heavily on his cane, allowing himself to finally show his true feelings towards what happened once the trio were gone. “I’m so sorry, Clarus,” he said quietly, a pained note in his voice. “Yet another Amicitia branded because of those bastards and their rules, their punishments.”  
  
Clarus squeezed his arm reassuringly. “Nothing says that Gladio can’t.. hide it..” he said, a sly smile crossing his features.  
  
Regis groaned softly and shook his head. “Because nothing says macho Shield like a massive tattoo on their body,” he drawled as they headed off to Clarus’s study to get that bottle of alcohol that they both sorely needed. “Hopefully he’ll pick something better then those flowers of yours.”  
  
Clarus gave a small mock offended sniff. “One of those flowers is _your_ birth flower,” he pointed out. “And you had no issue with it when I got it years ago.”  
  
Regis colored for a moment, clearly flustered by that pointed reminder, and slanted his gaze towards Clarus, amusement and vexation warring in his gaze. “Hush you.”  
  
-  
  
_“Explain to me what happened,” Regis said, his voice slightly arctic. His child, his only son, was once more confined to a wheelchair and he absolutely hated seeing it - knowing how much Noctis had hated being in it the last time. Hopefully this wouldn’t trigger nightmares for his young son - it was not so quite common knowledge amongst those close to the royal family that Noctis was one that was easily plagued by nightmares (and Regis blamed the Crystal for that)._  
  
_“Someone wanted to hit Gladio with a car so I pushed him out of the way,” Noctis ventured up, his blue eyes holding his father’s green-eyed gaze. “I didn’t want to see him hurt.”_  
  
_“That’s his job,” Clarus said, his voice deceptively calm - not betraying how he truly felt about what happened (which was he fucking hated that the little prince was hurt and that someone had the brilliant idea of going after *his* son in order to hurt Noctis). “He’s supposed to take the blows so you don’t have to.”_  
  
_“That’s not fair!” Noctis protested. “They went after him, not me. I had to help.”_  
  
_“Noctis,” Gladio murmured quietly, before turning his attention to King and the King’s Shield. “I accept full responsibility for my failure to keep the prince safe. I submit myself to whatever punishment is to be given for such.”_  
  
_A look of horror swept quickly across Clarus’s face - knowing exactly what that was. But, he quickly composed himself before his son could see it._  
  
_“So be it,” Regis said darkly._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At least the pain's over ..for now

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to hurt, just so you know. No-one's walking away from this unscathed.


End file.
